By Vallance Patrick of Peacock Point, Former Warrant Officer, Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
To The Haldimand Press
From Niagara to Port Dover, our forebearers experienced uninvited guests from south of the border.
When the US declared war against Canada in 1812, events proceeded well. In August, General Brock stopped in at Port Dover where his forces were reinforced by the Norfolk Militia. Together with Indigenous allies, they marched on Fort Detroit and American General Hull surrendered. But with Britain needing to focus on the war with Napolean, the Canadian provinces were left subject to more attention from the US than desired.
Still, as best they could, our greetings for invading Americans came “from the mouths of our cannon” (to borrow a phrase from Count Frontenac) and through 1812 the Americans failed in their war objectives.
But then, 1813 was not too kind to Canada. In April, the capital at York (now Toronto) was occupied and burned. Fort George in Niagara fell to the enemy in May with many local militia soldiers among the killed and missing. In September the British fleet on Lake Erie surrendered, requiring abandonment to Americans of Fort Detroit. Then at the end of the year British troops and area militia re-took Fort George; it was not long before the Americans burned down Niagara-on-the-Lake (all 149 homes) in a frigid December.
The nastiness continued locally when on May 14, 1814 an American fleet landed over 700 troops near Port Dover with only local militia available to offer token resistance. Guided by a traitor named Abraham Markle, the raiders torched both Port Ryerse and Port Dover. They burned down flour mills, sawmills, and three distilleries. Not content, Markle directed the further looting and destruction of 20 homes and the shooting of all livestock.
In response to these ongoing acts of terror, Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost, the Governor General of the Canadas, wrote on June 2 to Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane, commander of the North American Station of the Royal Navy: “In consequence of the late disgraceful conduct of the American troops in the wanton destruction on the north shores of Lake Erie … (you may) assist in inflicting that measure of retaliation which shall deter the enemy from the repetition of similar outrages.”
On August 24, 1814, British troops occupied and burned buildings in Washington, including the President Madison’s White House. While fighting ended in early 1815, our folks had been taught just what they could expect from our neighbours to the south.
In 1855 the Province of Canada (Canda West & Canada East) passed the Militia Act. This led to formation of military units throughout the Canadas. The Dunnville Rifle Company was established on July 24, 1856.
During the American Civil War, the Union Navy stopped the British Mail Ship ‘Trent’ and seized Confederate Envoys in November of 1861. As war fever gripped Britain over this afront, 10,000 fresh troops were sent to North America. In the Province of Canada, active militia was raised to 16,000 by the summer of 1862. In December of 1862, President Lincoln released the envoys and resolved the dispute, but tensions remained.
Locally, new military units were established in 1862, including both York Rifle Company and Caledonia Rifle Company on August 27, and the 13th Battalion Volunteer Militia (now the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry) on December 11.
The conflict south of the border was over in 1865, but across British North America there was a great fear that again there would be invasion from the south. Militia units were drilled and put on standby,
On June 1, 1866 between 1,000 and 1,300 Fenians-Irish veterans, from both the Union and Confederate Armies, invaded at Niagara from Buffalo, New York. In Hamilton the 13th Battalion mobilized quickly, travelling by train to Welland. There they were joined by the York Rifles, soldiers from the Welland Field Artillery serving as infantry, and the Caledonia Rifle Company. This force then took the train to Port Colborne, where they met up with the Queens Own Rifles from Toronto. In total, there were 350 from the Queen’s Own, 265 from the 13th, 95 from the York and Caledonia Rifles, and 60 from the Welland Artillery.
Learning the Fenians had dug in near Ridgeway, the Canadians assembled nearby and attacked the invaders on June 2. Initially the Queen’s Own advanced with the 13th coming on the right; the York Rifles, Caledonia Rifles, and Welland Artillery were in reserve. The Queen’s Own pushed back the Fenians but ran low on ammunition. The 13th then advanced and were preparing for a full assault when an order to ‘Form Square’ to repel a calvary charge was issued and then rescinded. The resulting confusion ultimately caused the Canadian units to retreat, likely saving them from a waiting ambush.
The Fenians advanced with the Canadians firing back as they withdrew. Although deemed a Fenian victory, the enemy was forced back to the States within days. Still, for the first time, Canadian soldiers under Canadian command had fought to defend our land and the Battle of Ridgeway was the last battle ever fought in Ontario.
With the threat from America continuing, July 6, 1866 saw the incorporation of the Oneida Infantry Company. On August 31, the Walpole Infantry Company was formed and on September 14 the Cheapside Infantry Company was established. On September 28 these various units were reformed and designated the 37th Haldimand Battalion of Rifles.
In 1936 the Haldimand Rifles were merged with the Dufferin Rifles to become the Haldimand & Dufferin Rifles headquartered at York; after further restructuring of the military, this unit evolved to be become today’s 56th Field Artillery headquartered in Brantford.
The key legacy of the Fenian Raids in 1866 remains that it motivated all the various provinces to agree to Confederation in 1867. These historical events remain a proud part of the heritage of the local militias who fought to stay free of the American dream of ‘manifest destiny’.
